July 26, 2009
Review - " Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince "
- (in Theaters) By Roland Hansen


hallways (which makes you wonder why we never saw any romance between the older students in the earlier flix). Totally
missing from this installment are Ron's eldest brothers Charlie, Bill, & Percy as well as Uncle Vernan, Aunt Petunia & Cousin
Dudley, although they all had various roles in the book. I guess something had to be cut and these peripheral characters
didn't really move the story along. They were more like filler.
If you enjoyed the last five installments of the Harry Potter flicks then Episode 6 should be a no brainer. Expect to see all
the staple stuff like classroom hijinks, a visit to Hagrid’s house, chilling at the Weasley place, and a rip roaring Quidditch
match. The experience of returning to the theaters to see Harry Potter is similar to the students returning to Hogwarts. This
is greatly due to the efforts of the film crews to keep the continuity going through familiar routines and preserving the
castmembers throughout the films both principle and minor. It’s wild enough to see Radcliffe, Watson, and Grint maturing on
screen but the rest of the student body sprouting into young adults is fantastic.
Draco started as Harry’s spoiled little rival but he really comes into his own in Harry 6. The young Mr.Malfoy has plenty to
scowl about now that his father is in jail, his social status drastically diminished and having to face his fellow school-
chums including the Chosen One that put his dad behind bars. The Death Eaters put their faith in Draco as he attempts to
take his father’s place in Voldemort’s sinister inner circle of fiends. Like the rest of the cast Tom Felton has grown up and so
have his acting chops. Draco’s inner torment and the pressures to perform like his father give Felton a juicy opportunity to
show a more captivating side of the blonde brat and more of Felton’s acting prowess. And if you thought sparks flew when
Harry and Draco quarreled in the past get ready for a full on blaze in Harry 6 when the kid gloves come off. Tom Felton is
technically, a young actor, but his performance as Malfoy is so dark and brooding that you'd be hard pressed to tell his age.
Malfoy has mostly been used in the film series for comic relief, but here, the kid is a lethal weapon ready to go off at any
moment, and Felton basks in that darkness gloriously.
It's great to see Bonnie Wright have a much expanded role in this franchise entry, and she is thoroughly up to the challenge.
She's grown so much since that little kid with only two words of dialogue in the beginning of Sorcerers Stone. She's actually
taller than Radcliffe and has become a very lovely young lady (but then I've always been partial to red hair). Speaking of
grown, Hermione seems to be filling out her Hogwarts robes very nicely these days. Evanna Lynch returns as Luna
Lovegood. Lovegood is a funny character in the book, but Lynch's performance brings her to life with more hilarity than
Rowling could have ever dreamed of. And As always Alan Rickman makes Snape someone you love to watch onscreen,
despite how you actually feel about the character.
The romance factor is pumped up in Harry 6 when students begin courting each other. Harry is ready for love but
Dumbledore keeps pestering him about smiting evil sorcerers and avenging his parents. It doesn’t mean he won’t find
somebody to love. He’ll just have a harder time doing it. I guess that comes with being a Chosen One. Hermione is pursued
by the overconfident Cormac McLaggen (Freddie Stroma) while Ron has his hands full (ahem) with his #1 fan, Lavender
Brown (Jessie Cave). All of this romantic activity is just another sign of the kids moving upwards to the echelons of adulthood.
What I liked overall about Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince is the retrospective tone of the film. It seemed like there
was less emphasis on the special effects and the magic battles and more focus placed on the characters and their
relationships. Harry’s “memory search” is exciting but I was more enthralled by the quiet moments he spent with Dumbledore.
The two have become so much more than student and teacher over the years and Harry 6 reflects on that throughout the
film.
Even when Harry, Hermione and Ron are just sitting together and talking the bond is so palpable. Just the three of them
sitting together and sharing a laugh by the fire triggered this warm feeling in my heart as I reminisced over all the trials,
triumphs and fumbles I’ve watched these three incredible characters endure for five films. Harry 6 is like the calm before the
storm (aka The Deathly Hallows) that will test Harry and his friends to the breaking point and there’s the possibility that
some of the Hogwarts students and faculty won’t be around after the dust has settled. So, enjoy them now because they
might not be around long in “Harry 7”. Until that storm does arrive, though, we have this current installment that proves you
can go to Hogwarts again and again and it never seems to get boring. While some franchises crumble from familiarity Harry
Potter thrives on it. I dunno about the book crowd but as a member of the Harry Potter Film Fans I was yet again spellbound
by the young wizards and I will surely be buying a ticket for the next Harry Potter spectacular.
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Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince
Directed By: Davis Yates
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint,
Bonnie Wright, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman, Tom Felton
The sixth episode in the Hogwarts saga, Harry Potter And The
Half Blood Prince, opens with Voldemort’s cronies, The Death
Eaters, making all kinds of mischief. They’re even bold
enough to wreak havoc in the Muggle world. After the
disturbing events from Harry Potter And The Order Of The
Phoenix students are a little on edge about returning to
Hogwarts. As Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) looks forward to another
year at the sorcerer school Professor Dumbledore (Michael
Gambon) again recruits Harry for another secret and
dangerous mission.
Dumbledore is in search of a memory that holds the key to
Voldemort’s undoing. This memory belongs to the potions
instructor, Professor Horace Slughorn (Jim Broadbent), and
Harry will have to forge a bond with Professor Slughorn to gain
that memory. It’s a sneaky move but Harry is prepared to do
almost anything to bring Voldemort down.
While Harry is working with Dumbledore, Draco Malfoy (Tom
Felton) is given his own mission by none other than Voldemort
himself. Malfoy is eager to prove himself to the dark lord.
Meanwhile, love is in the air at Hogwarts as the older students
begin coupling. Cupid’s arrow is aimed at Harry and his friends
Hermione and Ron (Emma Watson and Rupert Grint). Some
relationships will be made while other hearts will be broken.
Simply put, it’s just another eventful year at Hogwarts
Academy where dull moments are as rare as owl messengers.
Just like any high school there are students making out in the


